Obesity in the United States

"If you're like 27% of Americans, your blood pressure is too high. If you're like a whopping 96% of the population, you may not be able to recall the last time you had a salad" (Park).

Obesity is a health condition that causes several life-threatening diseases that are difficult to control. In fact, obesity accounts for 300,000 premature deaths per year, an all time high in the United States, as stated by ("Health Consequences"). In 2006, data over a three year time span had been released proposing, Mississippi had become the fattest state in the U.S. with 29.5% of the population being obese (The Calorie Lab). In short, obesity is defined as having an excess amount of body fat, therefore, excess fatty diets cause a dangerous health risk to overweight and obese people in the United States. As a result, obesity is affecting the health and lives of children and families across the nation.

Obesity has become one of the fastest growing health concerns in the United States. Consequently, in "America's Health Checkup," author Alice Park explains, "If you're like 67% of Americans, you're currently overweight or obese" (Park). As a result, obesity rates have not yet ceased growing, making the United States of America the ninth fattest nation in the world. The only few nations with a higher obesity rate have less than one tenth of the United States population ("Infoplease"). According to the "American Health Checkup," "Only one third of adults in the United States are considered healthy based on the [Body Mass Index] scale standards" (Park). In addition, Sarah Baldauf, an associate editor for U.S. News and World Reports health section, explains, "Excess calorie intake diet causes metabolic changes which makes losing weight and keeping it off seem nearly impossible" (Baldauf). In 2007, about 15% of adolescents and children were obese, according to the American Obesity Association (Ferry 1). According to Robert Ferry Jr. is a registered pediatric endocrinologist that discovered, "Obesity runs in families; however, genetics do not cause obesity. Children will only become obese when they eat more calories than what they use" (Ferry). Experts, such as Alice Park, fear that parents may be passing their bad health habits to their child which explains why this generation of kids may be the first ever to have a shorter life span than their parents. This proves children and adolescents are being affected by the obesity trend.

Obesity is linked to sever life-threatening health risks and diseases. Sarah Baldauf writes, "In excess, fat cells swell and multiply, and their functioning overwhelms the system: Nasty inflammatory factors spew into the bloodstream, and the delicate balance of hormones becomes skewed, altering the brain's normal response to fat's signals" (Baldauf). The brain adjusts and becomes used to the high fatty diet and begins to crave foods. The addiction continues making dieting difficult. Ultimately, high fatty diets elevate the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and liver disease. Additionally, the U.S. Surgeon General says, "The risk of death rises with increasing weight" ("Health Consequences"). Regardless of the number of deaths associated with obesity, medical doctor Michael Charlton explains, "Obesity is a pro-inflammatory state" (qtd. in Baldauf). "Usually, inflammation is a healthy immune response, a key component to fighting off infection; however, chronic inflammation causes widespread tissue damage (Baldauf)." Even though, obesity is only a "pro-inflammatory state," hundreds of thousands of premature deaths occur each year associated with obesity.

Additionally, obese and overweight children are depressed more often and are targets for bullying. Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts, that affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The U.S. Surgeon General explains, "The most immediate consequence of overweight, as perceived by children themselves, is social discrimination" ("Health Consequences"). Adolescents and children who are overweight often have a difficult time in school with stereotypes and bullies, and they also often battle depression. In "More to Obesity than Scales," an overweight adolescent explains how he gets treated on a regular day of school: "At school I get picked on because everyone thinks I am really fat" (qtd. in "More to Obesity"). The adolescent had a doctor's appointment to check if he was obese and if any health problems were present. Luckily, there were no serious medical conditions, and the boy would only need to lose fourteen pounds to become a sufficient weight. Although, the a college bound girl who weighed 225 pounds was not so lucky and was diagnosed with diabetes ("More to Obesity"). On top of diabetes and other health concerns, depression is often found in adolescents across the nation.

Obesity is a new trend affecting the lives of over half the adult population. Experts worry that the adult generation is passing on their bad eating habits to their children which could explain why this could be the first generation of kids that have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (Park). In fact, "only 1/3 of children in the U.S. have daily physical education at school" (Ferry 2). Overweight and obese children are targets for social conflict and often fight a state of depression. Obesity affects of nine million children between the ages of six and nineteen. 300,000 premature deaths occur each year because of obesity. Obesity has become one of the fastest growing health concerns for this reason. The United States has become the ninth fattest nation in the world. Obesity is a new health concern that researchers are vigorously studying to understand how to prevent obesity and to understand what causes obesity.

Baldauf, Sarah. "Too Fat? No More Excuses." U.S. News & World Report. 144 14 Jan. 2008 57. 24 Nov. 2008 http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw_search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=docid=11DFA196E1F77EEO&p-docnum=2&p_quarynam=4>.

Ferry, Robert. "Obesity in Children." eMedicineHealth. 26 Oct 2007. 24 Nov 2008. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/obesity_in_children/article_em.htm.

Park, Alice. "America's Health Checkup." 172. 01 Dec 2008 21 Nov 2008. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw_search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=docid=12496A25316C8EBO&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=1.

"More to obesity than scales". Bakersfield Californian. 16 Dec 2008 .

"Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences". Office of the Surgeon General. 16 Dec 2008 .